10 Iconic Movie Hotels You Can Actually Stay In

10 Iconic Movie Hotels You Can Actually Stay In

Beauty, grandeur, mystique—a hotel with these traits can attract the attention not only of guests looking for a luxurious stay but also of Hollywood filmmakers searching for the perfect place to shoot the next big hit. From lavish landmarks in New York City to a converted palace in India, these ten hotels around the world have captured the creative eye of filmmakers and helped blur the line between reality and the fantasy of motion pictures.

Photo: Courtesy of the Park Hyatt Tokyo

Park Hyatt Tokyo

A collaboration between designer John Morford and architect Kenzo Tange, the Park Hyatt Tokyo is perhaps most famous as the setting of Sofia Coppola’s complex exploration of companionship in her 2003 comedy Lost in Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. Hotel guests can enjoy the same Japanese whiskey that Murray’s character promotes at the New York Bar and take a dip in the same pool where he swims laps. On clear nights, there are views of Mt. Fuji to be had.

Photo: Courtesy of the Beverly Wilshire

Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, Beverly Hills, California

There’s an obvious reason this iconic property is known to some as the “Pretty Woman Hotel.” Although only the Beaux Arts–style exterior appeared in the 1990 hit, starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, the filmmakers built sets based on the guest rooms for other scenes. If you’re feeling nostalgic while staying here, the film can be borrowed from the hotel’s library.

Photo: Courtesy of the Waldorf Astoria

The Waldorf Astoria, New York

When it was built in 1931, it was the tallest hotel in the world, epitomizing the glamour and influence of early-20th-century Manhattan. Not only has the Waldorf Astoria enjoyed the patronage of every U.S. president since Herbert Hoover, it has also welcomed a fair number of filmmakers. The hotel, revered for its Art Deco style, can be seen in many movies, includingScent of a Woman, The Royal Tenenbaums, Coming to America, and Maid in Manhattan.

Photo: Courtesy of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel

Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles

The Millennium Biltmore Hotel boasts an impressive list of hundreds of movies and television shows filmed inside, including Ghostbusters, The Italian Job, Ocean’s Eleven, and Chinatown. As the gorgeous property embraces Hollywood filmmakers with open arms, guests will often see “Filming in Progress” signs throughout the hotel.

Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Regina

Hotel Regina, Paris

Converted from a king’s stable into a hotel for the World Expo in 1900, thisfive-star Parisian hotel sits right across the street from the Louvre and has been owned by the Baverez family since it opened. Visitors may recognize certain parts of the hotel from the thriller The Bourne Identity and Luc Besson’s Nikita, among others.

Photo: Courtesy of the Fontainbleau Miami Beach

Fontainebleau Miami Beach

Notable for its appearance in one of the most iconic gangster films of all time, Scarface, the Fontainebleau Miami Beach has also served as the backdrop in scenes from The Bodyguard, starring Whitney Houston, and the introductory scene in Goldfinger. Aside from being used as a filming location, the hotel was also a regular vacation spot for legendary celebrities, such as Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, and Dean Martin.

Photo: Courtesy of the Plaza

The Plaza Hotel, New York

Opened in 1907 on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, thePlaza, designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh in the style of a French château, has shown up in dozens of Hollywood movies. It made its film debut in Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest and later put in appearances in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, The Great Gatsby, and American Hustle.

Photo: Courtesy of the Taj Lake Palace

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India

Originally built in 1746 as a palace for Prince Maharana Jagat Singh II, the property was converted into a hotel in 1963. Taj Lake Palace is known not only for its world-famous views of the sunset but also for its role as the lair of the title character in the James Bond picture Octopussy.

Timberline Lodge, Timberline, Oregon

This property might be recognized from its role in one of the most famous hotel movies of all time—the eerie cult classic The Shining. But only the exterior made an appearance in the film: The real Timberline Lodge is actually quite warm and inviting, evoking the feel of a cozy winter cabin. Director Stanley Kubrick turned to other properties for interior inspiration, including the Majestic Yosemite Hotel (formerly the Ahwahnee) and the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Biltmore Hotel in Arizona, though filming took place on sets constructed on a soundstage.

Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles

Although recently captured on celluloid in Somewhere, another film by Sofia Coppola, Chateau Marmont is perhaps more famous as a destination for Hollywood’s elite. Notable visitors include Marilyn Monroe, Hunter S. Thompson, Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, and Clark Gable and Jean Harlow, who were rumored to use the hotel as a romantic getaway.